[UCGal]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook][quote=Rhett][quote=UCGal]We’re old school… pad on the fridge, as family members notice stuff is running low, we add it to the list. Then before the grocery run hubster and I talk about mealplans and adjust the list accordingly.[/quote]

Ditto. Stock up on non-perishables when they are on sale (or I am at Costco). Keep around a lot of frozen chicken. But our family is a bit smaller, so this is easier to do.[/quote]

Rhett/UCGal: I don’t know if either of you have used a clay pot before, but if you cook chicken it’s a must-have. They’re fairly inexpensive and a large one will accommodate two good sized chickens comfortably. We usually do roasted chickens on Sunday, eating one and using the other for chicken salad sandwiches during the week.[/quote]
We do roast chickens a lot, also – 2 at a time… we’ve been using an old enameled roasting pan. Like this: http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=163281

What are the advantages of a clay pot? Talk to me… I’m always looking for ways to expand my cooking horizons.

[UCGal]

[quote=CDMA ENG]Actually I am impressed that you guys can do that but doesn’t that a get boring? To know what you are eating two weeks in advance?

CE[/quote]

We do “rough” meal planning. Some nights are given – we typically have a costco take out pizza on Fridays… my husband grew up with Pizza fridays – so we’ve continued that tradition. We typically do more involved cooking on weekends, since we’re home. So we’ll plan what big meals will get done that weekend. Then we buy the basics that can be used in a variety of ways the rest of the week – hamburger, chicken, pasta…. and wing it. No predetermined meal plan – just whoever gets home first looks in the fridge, and starts cooking.

But weekends are when we do the big prep meals – stews, paella, lasagna… anything that takes a long time to prep/cook. And we make enough for leftovers during the week.

[UCGal]

We’re old school… pad on the fridge, as family members notice stuff is running low, we add it to the list. Then before the grocery run hubster and I talk about mealplans and adjust the list accordingly.

[UCGal]

Allan, even Markos Moulitsas (sp?) the founder of dailykos, recently published a diary that questioned what the heck Obama was doing.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/09/01/1012544/-Whatever-it-is-Obama-is-doing,-itsnotworking?detail=hide

[UCGal]

Since they are doing it at the renewal period, its legal and not that uncommon.
Its much less common to be canceled mid-term through no doing of your own.

[UCGal]

[quote=flu][quote=UCGal][quote=flu]

I guess the question for me (which I don’t know) is is there or is there not an unemployment or underemployment problem in San Diego? ,I’m not seeing massive hiring, but I’m not seeing massive layoffs either (at least not in tech). We lost of a few people recently because they decided to pursue startups. So things can’t look that bad… I don’t know really at this point.

What’s other’s people’s employment experience here? Is there a jobs problem in SD?[/quote]
My employer did layoffs pretty heavily last year and the year before. I’m still in touch with a few effected folks. One is back in school because he couldn’t find work, and 2 are doing contract work, less than full time.

My husband continues to be part time because there isn’t quite enough work for full time. Architecture continues to be less than booming on the commercial side.

All of this suggests underemployment is an issue.[/quote]

UG, if you don’t mind me asking, how much do you think your friends/colleagues that are in this situation are underemployed by in terms of % off from full time income.

Also, out of the people you know, what percentage of people are in this category versus at a full time gig with relatively same salary (+- 10% lets say)….

We know that two years ago, it was pretty bad, expecially for MOT/MMI people. Have most of these people recovered already, or are most of these people still underemployed/unemployed? And it’s about people here in SD, right? Not at other MOT/MMI locations… I’m mainly interested in the “pulse” here in SD… I’ve been kinda out of touch lately, so I haven’t been following as closely…[/quote]
The guy who’s back in school is changing careers, his age was a huge factor in why he couldn’t find a job. No one wants to hire a 55ish high tech employee who’s spent 20 years at the same company. Another friend has strung together a series of contract/consulting gigs. But there are gaps between them. She’s cut her living expenses to the bone because her savings are gone after 2 years of this. The third friend is working half time at a much lower hourly rate… and glad to be working.

They have in common that they are all over 45. Younger friends were able to find new gigs easier. Ageism is a killer in this recession. Since I’m not young it terrifies me.

[UCGal]

Back to the video in the OP…
The concept of not expanding your spending when your income increases is a tough thing to accomplish. It goes against our consumer culture.

But it’s a good message.

As I hinted at in the retire early thread, I have a hard time factoring in the home equity into “wealth” calculations. You can’t spend a house and if you want to live in it, you can’t sell it. Home equity is only wealth when your ready to sell. If the bulk of your wealth is in an illiquid asset that you’re unwilling to sell, are you really wealthy?

[UCGal]

[quote=CA renter]

Sorry brian, but you clearly do not understand anything about child rearing and psychology. [/quote]
+100 on more than just diet and food, lol.

[UCGal]

[quote=CA renter]

Sorry brian, but you clearly do not understand anything about child rearing and psychology. [/quote]
+100 on more than just diet and food, lol.

[UCGal]

[quote=flu]

I guess the question for me (which I don’t know) is is there or is there not an unemployment or underemployment problem in San Diego? ,I’m not seeing massive hiring, but I’m not seeing massive layoffs either (at least not in tech). We lost of a few people recently because they decided to pursue startups. So things can’t look that bad… I don’t know really at this point.

What’s other’s people’s employment experience here? Is there a jobs problem in SD?[/quote]
My employer did layoffs pretty heavily last year and the year before. I’m still in touch with a few effected folks. One is back in school because he couldn’t find work, and 2 are doing contract work, less than full time.

My husband continues to be part time because there isn’t quite enough work for full time. Architecture continues to be less than booming on the commercial side.

All of this suggests underemployment is an issue.

[UCGal]

[quote=flu]

I guess the question for me (which I don’t know) is is there or is there not an unemployment or underemployment problem in San Diego? ,I’m not seeing massive hiring, but I’m not seeing massive layoffs either (at least not in tech). We lost of a few people recently because they decided to pursue startups. So things can’t look that bad… I don’t know really at this point.

What’s other’s people’s employment experience here? Is there a jobs problem in SD?[/quote]
My employer did layoffs pretty heavily last year and the year before. I’m still in touch with a few effected folks. One is back in school because he couldn’t find work, and 2 are doing contract work, less than full time.

My husband continues to be part time because there isn’t quite enough work for full time. Architecture continues to be less than booming on the commercial side.

All of this suggests underemployment is an issue.

[UCGal]

[quote=poorgradstudent]
API borders on meaningless. It’s a great reflection of how much money the student’s parents in the area make. I’m still waiting for value-added scoring to catch on like it is starting to in LA.[/quote]

Are you talking about using programs like MAP testing? I think the PUSD uses it, and I remember hearing a recommendation from one of the GATE staff at SDUSD talk about it – but there’s no budget for it ib SDUSD.

My understanding is that MAP (Measure of Academic progress) tests are done in the beginning of the year and the end – they measure the actual knowlege/skills, (not just proficiency at an arbitrary grade level), then you compare it at the end- and *hopefully* see progress.

I wish San Diego unified did stuff like this – so a kid that is reading ahead of grade level or doing math ahead of grade level is still pushed to improve over what they entered with at the beginning of the year. Conversely, a child that is below grade level will still be measured on improvement over the year.

I would think teachers would value this assessment tool – lets them get credit for improving kids who are below grade level as wall as those above grade level. Documents the improvement.

http://www.nwea.org/products-services/computer-based-adaptive-assessments/map

[UCGal]

[quote=poorgradstudent]
API borders on meaningless. It’s a great reflection of how much money the student’s parents in the area make. I’m still waiting for value-added scoring to catch on like it is starting to in LA.[/quote]

Are you talking about using programs like MAP testing? I think the PUSD uses it, and I remember hearing a recommendation from one of the GATE staff at SDUSD talk about it – but there’s no budget for it ib SDUSD.

My understanding is that MAP (Measure of Academic progress) tests are done in the beginning of the year and the end – they measure the actual knowlege/skills, (not just proficiency at an arbitrary grade level), then you compare it at the end- and *hopefully* see progress.

I wish San Diego unified did stuff like this – so a kid that is reading ahead of grade level or doing math ahead of grade level is still pushed to improve over what they entered with at the beginning of the year. Conversely, a child that is below grade level will still be measured on improvement over the year.

I would think teachers would value this assessment tool – lets them get credit for improving kids who are below grade level as wall as those above grade level. Documents the improvement.

http://www.nwea.org/products-services/computer-based-adaptive-assessments/map

[UCGal]

[quote=poorgradstudent]
API borders on meaningless. It’s a great reflection of how much money the student’s parents in the area make. I’m still waiting for value-added scoring to catch on like it is starting to in LA.[/quote]

Are you talking about using programs like MAP testing? I think the PUSD uses it, and I remember hearing a recommendation from one of the GATE staff at SDUSD talk about it – but there’s no budget for it ib SDUSD.

My understanding is that MAP (Measure of Academic progress) tests are done in the beginning of the year and the end – they measure the actual knowlege/skills, (not just proficiency at an arbitrary grade level), then you compare it at the end- and *hopefully* see progress.

I wish San Diego unified did stuff like this – so a kid that is reading ahead of grade level or doing math ahead of grade level is still pushed to improve over what they entered with at the beginning of the year. Conversely, a child that is below grade level will still be measured on improvement over the year.

I would think teachers would value this assessment tool – lets them get credit for improving kids who are below grade level as wall as those above grade level. Documents the improvement.

http://www.nwea.org/products-services/computer-based-adaptive-assessments/map

[UCGal]

[quote=bearishgurl]
Perhaps SDHS does not have a collective API score this year because it has divided up into these smaller “niche” schools.[/quote]

This happened a few years back. It’s got 6 schools within the overall school old San Diego HS, and has since 2004.

School of Business (664)
School of Communications (544)
School of International Studies (873)
School of LEADS (663)
School of Science and Technology (729)
School of The Arts (629)

Obviously the International Studies one stands out from a test performance point of view.

[Author]

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